Kids Running Series Update
by JOhn R Hofmann Sr.
Ladies and girls, gentlemen and boys, you saw it here first. A new LVRR WORLD RECORD EVER turnout for today’s kids run, the 2nd of the 7 series for this year. Pure and perpetual pandemonium prevailed as over 450 passionate participants, ages 3 to 14 pervaded upon Little Lehigh Parkway, LVRR’s home, to partake of the pleasant weather and companionship of fellow runners. All told with parent, guardians and supporters there were over a thousand people present. Frankly none of us on the committee were prepared for the overwhelming turnout. Hell we ran out of freeze pops as we only had 400 ready.
Thanks to the legion of volunteers and committee members the issues were all well under control. After all it is the volunteers who make things happen! THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!
In the beginning, 11 years ago, we were thrilled to have 75 kids for the entire event. In just the 3 – 4 year old age group we had 139 finishers today! Times have changed this time for the better.
As you may be aware, the proceeds from such events as the St Luke’s Lehigh Valley Half Marathon and PC 5K are allocated for the youth running program. Not for just the Kids Series but also for the myriad of running scholarships going to worthy college bound students living here in the Lehigh Valley. Promoting running, fighting childhood obesity, and helping to feed the minds of future generations is a lofty goal but with your help all is and will continue to be supported and accomplished.
I am reminded of an old boss and mentor of mine, while working at Radio Shack, who told me something I’ll never forget and am happy to pass on to all those desirous of success. He said “If you shoot for the moon you’ll land on the barn roof. If you shoot for the barn roof you land in the pig sty!” Only he didn’t say sty! LVRR and its active members are shooting for the stars! We invite you to join the journey by either volunteering or contributing although, quite frankly, volunteering is where you can presently have the greatest impact! If you choose to contribute your funds are going to a non-profit and as such are fully tax deductible.
One of the prime issues addressed this year by the committee was turning observation into execution. The observation was that at our Kids Run, preceding the St Luke’s Lehigh Valley Half Marathon and PC 5K bringing out over a 1,000 children, is a very diverse group with substantial numbers of the many races and cultures comprising overall Allentown. Our summer series were not nearly as reflective of this diversity. Our desire is and has been to come up with a way of bringing these inner city kids to the Summer Series.
Our committee came upon the idea of directly involving the Allentown School District by placing applications into the hands of the 12,500 school children ages 3 to 14. Mr. Jeff Glazier, President of the Allentown School Board, was contacted for assistance. He in turn introduced us to then Director of Allentown Schools Dr Karen Angelo who subsequently introduced us to Dr Robert Culp Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, who provided us with the means to distribute Kids Summer Series Applications to all the students.
Well folks the proof is in the numbers and, in the far more than ever before, diversity of this year’s runners. The costs associated with this venture exceed $1,000 as printing and distribution was at the expense of LVRR.
Kudos to the Kids Running Committee and the army of volunteers that make it happen!
